Saturday, May 31, 2014

EXPLORING LOS ANGELES : DAY 26

Monday, May 19, 2014
One day tour of San Diego was booked through TAKE TOURS, so got ready at 6am and Vishwa dropped us at Chinatown, for bus departure point at 6.45am. We waited and waited, no bus came, tried to contact, it took more than half an hour...... only to find out the trip was cancelled. Imagine: NO INFORMATION.
BUSY EXPRESSWAY


LA ATTRACTIONS
We decided to explore the CITY OF LOS ANGELES..... by walking tour with city map..... sat in some starbucks coffee and had lathe.....
MARKET SCENE


FASHION STREET
Walked further down to the shopping area of L A...... little shopping at fashion district..... it was 1.00pm and we needed eat.... found Indian restaurant GILLS CUISINE , had some naan, curry and rice.


at the FASHION DISTRICT
After lunch, our walking tour continued along  Jewellery district, did some window shopping.
SOME WINDOW SHOPPING

and it was 4.30pm. Anu called and said she is coming around to pick us..... She came after few minutes and we were back in the house by 6pm.
Later we went to visit nearby  LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM of ART.
URBAN LIGHT
Urban Light at LACMA is a collection of 202 restored cast iron antique street lamps from around Los Angeles.  Chris Burden's outdoor sculpture is absolutely stunning. It is nice and perfect to come here at night. This is free for all to experience, so one can come with friends, family, and don't forget a camera to capture the beauty. 
Returned home, food and off to bed.....
written Sunday, 01 June 2014, at Bengaluru

VISIT PAGE, GETTY, GRIFFITH PARK: DAY 25

Sunday, May 18, 2014....
Entrance PAGE MUSEUM
Morning after breakfast at 10 am, we walked to Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits.
The La Brea Tar Pits (or Rancho La Brea Tar Pits) are a group of tar pits around which Hancock Park was formed, in urban Los Angeles. Natural asphalt (also called asphaltum, bitumen, pitch or tar - brea in Spanish) has seeped up from the ground in this area for tens of thousands of years.


DISPLAYS AT MUSEUM
The tar is often covered with dust, leaves, or water. Over many centuries, the bones of animals that were trapped in the tar were preserved. The George C. Page Museum is dedicated to researching the tar pits and displaying specimens from the animals that died there.
PAGE MUSEUM - After Ice age excavations, creatures are brought inside the Page museum, Here best fossils are on display and can see  Paleontology in action.
We spend an hour at the museum, Vishwa came to pick us, from there went to Nikhil's swimming classes and back to house.
Anu packed lunch for all and we left for GETTY villa at Malibu, an hour's drive.



GETTY VILLA
The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs.
The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu opened on January 28, 2006, after the completion of a major renovation project. As a museum and educational center dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria, the Getty Villa serves a varied audience through exhibitions, conservation, scholarship, research, and public programs. The Villa houses approximately 44,000 works of art from the Museum's extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, of which over 1,200 are on view.
We ate puliogare and mosaranna in the premises and went round the place and spent about 2 hours.
From there we proceeded to GRIFFITH PARK at Santa Monica Mountains.
GRIFFITH'S OBSERVATORY


VIEW OF HOLLYWOOD HILLS

SUNSET FROM THE PARK
Griffith Park is a large muncipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,310 acres (1,740 ha) of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. It is the second-largest city park in California.
The GRIFFITHS OBSERVATORY which sits atop the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, was featured prominently in the 1955 classic "Rebel without a cause."
We stayed even after 8pm, when it is still not dark, and had food at Indian Kitchen hotel.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Nikhil enjoying street attractions
Afterwards we went to see HOLLY BOULEVARD.  Hollywood Walk of Fame,  is one of the most well known attractions in the entire city was created in 1958 as a tribute to artists working in the entertainment industry.
After having some ice creams returned home.
written Saturday, 31st May 2014, Bengaluru

TRAVELLING TO LOS ANGELES: DAY 24

BUS TO L A
Saturday, May 16, 2014...... Booked tickets ($40.00 each) through GOTO buses to travel to Los Angeles from San Jose.
Aparna made nice idlis in the morning for breakfast. After having breakfast, Onkar& Aparna came to drop us at Kings road departure point at 8.15am  Bus was ready and left San Jose by 8.30 am.



VIEW ON THE WAY TO L A

OWN CLICK
It's 5-hour ride to L A, with scenic view on the way, enjoyed throughout. Reached Chinatown, Los Angeles by 2. pm. Vishwa came in a few minutes and took us to the house.
WITH ANU in THE GROVE

WATER SHOW

WINDOW SHOPPING
Had lunch and slept for a while. In the evening walked to the nearby huge mall 'THE GROVE" with high end shopping area and huge food court called FARMERS VILLAGE, where people were eating as if they have not seen food for several days. All kinds of food outlets, except Indian Vegetarian eating place.
However, there was some dancing fountain shows..... spent more than an hour and walked back.
Had food at home....... as usual went to bed by 10.30pm
written Saturday, May 31, 2014 at Bengaluru.

SHORELINE PARK, MOUNTAIN VIEW: DAY 23

Friday, May 16, 2014..... After breakfast at Sahana-Sandeep Varamballi's house, we are ready for the day's outing. Sandeep drops us at Onkar's house at 9.30am and we decided to relax for the day and we stayed
SAHANA-SANDEEP  VARAMBALLY
indoors, had nice lunch and slept.
Onkar came from his office by 5pm, We had coffee and biscuits all decided to go to Shore line Park and Lake, Mountain View.
WALKING TRAIL
The lake area is great for getting out, walking, biking and general exercising. The bird life is beautiful and plentiful, especially geese. The lake water is fairly clean, but not for swimming. The aquatic center has rentals, and lessons if you want to learn how to paddle-board, windsurf or small boat sailing (although the services are quite pricey). The park is open to all ages and all physical abilities.
WITH APARNA-ONKAR
We walked around the lake, spent some time in the park and reached AMBER INDIAN RESTAURANT for dinner.
We had nice food with Aparna, Onkar and came back to the house by 10.00pm and retired for the day.
written Saturday, 31st May 2014, Bengaluru

Friday, May 30, 2014

EXPLORING SAN FRANCISCO: DAY 22

CABLE CAR
Thursday, 15 May 2014.... After breakfast from Shashi Kedlaya's house at Cupertino, we accompanied in his car to train station, as he was also going to office by train. Bought two Caltrain tickets (return $14.00 each) to San Francisco and the train came at 8.21am. It was crowded as most of IT pro go to office in this train. San Jose-San Francisco is hub of IT industry as many of the world famous IT companies are in this area.

RIDING IN THE CABLE CAR

AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF
Reaching San Fransisco Caltrain station by 9.30, we started walking around the to reach downtown or market area. Walked for an hour in the streets of San Fransisco and reached cable car point.
Got into cable car which moves on the road in the track, paid $15.00 for each for day pass, which can be used to travel in the bus, metro and other city transport.
AT THE INDIAN RESTAURANT
This CABLE CAR is used mostly tourists to roam around, and with the day pass there is unlimited rides. After moving up and down on crooked roads of San Fransisco, we stopped at FISHERMAN'S WHARF.
This place had lot of shops and eating outlets, patronized by tourists. Eating outlets are mostly non-veg and sea foods.

CITY HALL


DOWNTOWN BUILDING
However, after roaming around for sometime, we were happy to see an Indian hotel. It was 1.30pm and we were hungry also. Went in happily, ordered some Vegetarian Deluxe Thali and some Nans, and ate nicely.
We got into another bus with same day pass and reached market area (Downtown) and roamed around.
Inquired a guy, how to reach CALTRAIN station, very happily he guided us and came with us to basement metro station and asked us to blue train.
WITH SAHANA
Surprisingly, the metro train on the track was running on the road level with other vehicles and after 20 minutes we reached CalTrain station.
There was a train leaving at 4.50pm and we got into that and reached LAWRENCE station at 6.15pm.
Called Sandeep Varamballi, who was staying in an apartment just opposite to the station. He and his wife Sahana were very happy about our visit, and we talked for sometime and went out for dinner at SARAVANA BHAVAN.  The place was crowded, we got seats, ate some nice food and returned his house by 10.30pm
Chatted for some time and retired to bed.
written Saturday, 31st May 2014, Bengaluru.  

SAN FRANSISCO SIGHTSEEING : DAY 21

travelling to San Francisco
Booked 5-hour bus tour of San Fransisco online ($69.00 for mum and $64 for me) for Wednesday May 14, from 9am - 2pm. Onkar assured us that he will take us to to the departure point, so we lft at 7.30am in his BMW car for a distance of 60 miles. Unfortunately, it was a working day and 4-lane road was fully packed with cars and the traffic was heavy. Even the fast lane reserved for cars with more than 2 people was slow moving.
CABLE CAR MUSEUM

CHURCH BUILDING


PARK
However, we missed first starting point of the tour and reached at 9.30am at the CABLE CAR MUSEUM and the tour group with tourists arrived a little later.
The bus left for sightseeing different parts of the city like China town, old time houses, church, parks and eventually reached GOLDEN GATE bridge in San Fransisco bay area, where we clicked some photos.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

BOARDING CRUISE BOAT

The next stop was SAUSOLITO, the other side of the bay area, shopping place and cruise point.
We has packed lunch and bought ice cream, walked around for a while. Afterwards, we got into CRUISE RIDE in a big boat in the bay area for about half hour and reached bay bridge area, where the ended.
It was a nice tour for the familiarity of the city.
VIEW OF THE BRIDGE
It was 3 pm and we walked around the area and sat for a while STARBUCKS coffee waited for Shashi Kedlaya, who promised us meet at 5pm and we go to his place.
We met him and started walking for an hour through the city to reach CALTRAIN stattion (Metro to San Jose). We boarded a train going to SUNNYWALE,. After about an hour's journey we reached Sunnywale. We walked up to his car, parked a short distance away, and reached his house by 7.30pm
We had dinner at his house and rested  for the night early, as i was exhausted after a long walk.
Written Saturday, 31st May 2014 at Bengaluru